I've been hanging around here for a couple weeks, loving every post, but I feel like I'm in the minority in that I am not a "stasher." By that I mean I don't purchase fabric without a distinct purpose. I save all my scraps, of course, and I will occasionally purchase a bit extra, particularly if it's a fabric I truly love. But I don't go out and buy just for the sake of buying. I learned this long ago with my knitting, and I feel like for me, the same goes for quilting: if I don't have a plan when I buy something, it'll never get used. I don't mind having a few "pets" in my stash, but it's like any other animal--it gets to a point where the care and feeding is simply overwhelming and no longer enjoyable. ;) Realistically, I can only complete a handful of quilts a year. If something enters my stash now and doesn't see the light of day for five years, I may not even like it anymore! I also don't make a lot of money, but I like to use good materials. It saves me money to only purchase what I need, when I need it.
There are lots and lots of reasons I prefer to buy fabric on an as-needed basis. I'm not at all judging or disparaging those who have huge stashes, but it's definitely not how I approach my hobby.
What are your reasons for stashing or not?